Help Bending Metal Back

[dstig1]

You are going to need to post more and better photos for anyone to be able to tell what exactly is going on. And then seconding what others have said: Does it still work OK or not?

With that said...in the end, don't be afraid to take it all apart so you can fix it. there is nothing terribly complex there and as long as you take photos as you go, you will be fine.

 

[TimberXX]

Amazing responses as always. I'm trying to answer, and provide additional info.

Yes the bending of the frame impacts the use of the sweeper. The chain hits the chain guard, scoring it. Bristles are getting eaten by the chain.

Both arent bent but what they are welded to is. The square tube is welded inside the frame only. the round tube is part of another assembly.

My plan was to head to a parking garage, flat slab, square column. Strap the sweeper to a column with ratchets.

Then take a pipe wrench (with a galvi fence post for leverage) on each of the tubes. If I have the shear bolts out, I should be able to over stretch the material.

I like the come along and bottle jack ideas.

 

[BlueKnife]

Amazing responses as always. I'm trying to answer, and provide additional info.

Yes the bending of the frame impacts the use of the sweeper. The chain hits the chain guard, scoring it. Bristles are getting eaten by the chain.

Both arent bent but what they are welded to is. The square tube is welded inside the frame only. the round tube is part of another assembly.

My plan was to head to a parking garage, flat slab, square column. Strap the sweeper to a column with ratchets.

Then take a pipe wrench (with a galvi fence post for leverage) on each of the tubes. If I have the shear bolts out, I should be able to over stretch the material.

I like the come along and bottle jack ideas.

Still a bit tough to tell for sure, but it appears as if you've got some cracks in the welds holding at least the square tube in place. Bending it back is just going to crack the weld more. If I'm seeing what I think I'm seeing, it will need to be re-welded after being straightened.

 

[CliffordK]

It may be that the square tube is not welded squarely.

If that is the case, you'll have to cut off the old weld and re-weld.

Fortunately with welding you can place a wet rag where you don't want heat and you can keep the heat fairly localized

 

[WranglerX]

Looks like cracked weld to me....

But I have a problem understanding the angular difference in the two tubes as it is much more than what even the bent square stock would compensate for...

For me, I would just use large clamp and pull the two bars together and redo failed weld on round stock...

 

[CliffordK]

You don't necessarily have to weld back at the same place the previous weld failed.

So it looks like the weld failed on the back side of the thick plate. However, it is quite possible you could ignore that weld and do the new weld on the side that has open access as long as it doesn't interfere with something else.

 

[Gust Daneels]

If the front broom works properly and the bearings do not experience any problems with the bent parts, I would leave it as is. I know it's not a pretty sight because there is a bit of bend here and there, but the best thing is that everything works properly.

 

[WranglerX]

Personally I don't see a bend, I see straight bars and a failed weld that allowed the square bar to shift/move....

 

[dstig1]

Yeah I can see something is not right but still can't really tell what. Good eye on the weld. Too dark for me to tell that...

 

[JONNY BOYYYE]

Do those bends impact the sweeping?
On the left side of the first photo there appears to be a flat bar that cups around a round bar. Is that supposed to be welded?

You can purchase hydraulic rams and pullers. However, you would need a solid place to secure it to.

A come-along or winch may also work, but could be more dangerous and you would pull strength issues.

To be effective cold bending a joint, you will also have to over bend by a few percent and then let it relax back. If the machine design is such that you can't fully bend past your desired stopping point, then you will have difficulties relieving stress from the joint without heat. And if you have to weld a joint like the flat/round joint above, that will remain under stress unless the primary bend is also fixed.

So I'm not entirely sure you'll be able to avoid heat and bending or cutting and re-welding the joint.

put the broom under a big truck or tractor and use a small hydraulic jack...it doesn't have to be perfect on a broom..